Can tendon autograft function as a meniscal transplant?

Various options have been advocated for the treatment of patients who developed post-meniscectomy symptoms, including meniscus allograft transplant (MAT), collagen meniscus implants, synthetic polymer meniscal implants, and tendon autografts. The aim of this study was to evaluate the functional outcomes after using the peroneus longus (PL) tendon autograft as meniscal transplantation in patients with knee joint line pain exacerbated by weight bearing following prior total or subtotal meniscectomy.

Twenty-five patients were treated using PL autograft as an alternative for meniscal transplantation between May 2022 and December 2022. Nineteen patients were male, and six patients were female. The medial meniscus was involved in 17 patients, while the lateral meniscus was affected in eight patients. All patients were followed up for at least 2 years following surgery. Functional outcomes were assessed using the Lysholm and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis and Outcome (KOOS) scores preoperatively and at 2 years following surgery.

A statistically significant improvement was found between preoperative and 2 years follow up values in terms of both the Lysholm and KOOS scores.

Meniscus transplantation using PL tendon autograft may be a successful treatment with satisfactory functional results for patients with post-meniscectomy symptoms following previous total or subtotal meniscectomy.